How to store tomatoes and other soft vegetables to extend shelf life?

Tomatoes and soft vegetables are highly perishable, so the aim is short term holding, not long storage. Harvest at the right stage; for tomato that means picking at the mature green to breaker or turning stage if you need a few days of shelf life, and fully ripe only if selling immediately, because fully ripe fruit does not travel or wait well. Handle gently, because every bruise becomes a rot point. Keep harvested produce out of the sun in shade or a cool place straight away, since field heat shortens life fast. Sort out cracked, soft or diseased fruit so they do not spoil the rest. Pack in shallow crates so the weight above does not crush the bottom layer. A cool store extends life clearly, but even simple cooling, shade and good ventilation help a lot. Sell soft vegetables as quickly as you can, since no method keeps them for long. Verify the right harvest stage and storage temperature for your crop and market with your buyer or local horticulture office.